


Radiant Christmas

by LetoaSai



Series: StrifeHart Fluff [32]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cloud has christmas spirit, First Christmas, Leon is feeling mushy, M/M, Surprises, home made dinner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21775009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: Leon thought his first Christmas in Radiant Garden would be lonely. He didn't expect the surprise he got.
Relationships: Cloud/Leon (Kingdom Hearts), Leon (Kingdom Hearts)/Squall Leonhart/Cloud Strife
Series: StrifeHart Fluff [32]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1108581
Comments: 15
Kudos: 84





	Radiant Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Leon didn’t care what anyone said. He didn’t care about the awards or accolades. He didn’t care if the man was supposedly one of the most prodigious educators on the continent. Merlin was a dick. He disappeared often and left Leon to teach his classes on the fly. He was dealing with professors who had decades more experience than him and they were leaning onto him to be Merlin’s voice, or voice or reason as the case may be. 

He was supposed to be a teaching assistant, not a substitute teacher for the old man who went on impromptu adventures. Leon seriously did not get paid enough for this. Granted, it looked good on his resume and it wasn’t like the other professors didn’t know the spots Merlin left him in, but still...

Winter break was in full swing and Leon had heard more from the crazy old man the last few days then he had in the last two months. It figured that he would show up when there were no classes, no lesson plans, little grading and no fucking students. 

This should have been Leon’s break too but no, he had to meet up with the old man twice a day. Merlin didn’t seem to have any idea how annoying the entire situation was. 

Christmas Eve didn’t seem to mean anything to the old Professor either. He’d asked Leon if he had plans or if he planned to go home to visit his family and Leon had stupidly said no after feeling like he’d been doused with water. 

The idea of going home after so many months was like being electrocuted. Yes he missed Ellone, but he wasn’t sure how to face his sister after leaving the way he did. He’d talked with her on the phone a few times and those had gone well but meeting her eye after taking off wasn’t something he was looking forward to. 

Rinoa had been calling and asking him to come back for a long weekend and the thought made him want to hide in his bedroom under the covers like a child. He’d gotten a call from most of his friends at least once, each asking in vastly different ways if he was ever going to come home again. 

He was. He was, he just didn’t know when. What had he accomplished? When would he stop feeling like he had a temper tantrum and ran away. It hadn’t been like that… 

Laguna...Well, he didn’t want to think about Laguna. He’d called once and Leon had ignored it. Ellone’s calls had only increased afterwards. 

Leon wasn’t ready for that, not yet. He’d spend christmas in Radiant Garden even if it was by himself. It wasn’t like the orphanage had taught him some kind of great love for the holiday. Holiday’s didn’t exist in that place. He didn’t quite know the point of a ‘merry’ christmas despite Ellone attempting to change his mind about them the last few years. 

He didn’t know how to do the family thing either and that’s all Ellone wanted. The most comfortable holidays he’d ever had had been drinking with Zell and Irvine. They’d drink until they pass out and if they missed the entire day, that was fine with them. 

He hadn’t thought being alone would chaf, but it was probably more the fact that he was working. The day in an empty university was never ideal under any circumstance. It’s not like he was missing anyone… Espesially not stupid blondes with motorcycles that had deliveies to make. 

It was early evening by the time he’d been free to go for the day. It was a waste of a holiday and worse, a waste of a day off. Being able to actually learn something from Merlin didn’t have the same appeal as it might have otherwise. 

Cloud wasn’t answering his phone and that put a damper on any plans he might have had. He’d been living in the city for months now but that still didn’t offer him more than a few acquaintances. He has his friends at home, and he had Cloud. It didn’t exactly make for a night out even if a night out was what he wanted. 

The drive home had been done almost mindlessly. There was little traffic with most people already at their destinations and the drive through town had only proved how many different celebrations were happening at once. 

Why even bother? 

He’d grab a beer and go to bed and recreate his Christmases of old. The walk up to his apartment was slow, but he didn’t exactly have the energy to skip there. Had he been paying attention he would have noticed that there was no resistance to his door when unlocking it. It opened smoothly and he was smacked in the face by heat, delicious smells, and soft lights. 

Leon dropped his school things and stared at the little table tree, sitting in front of the window and covered in little twinkling lights that wrapped around the window frame behind it. It was strewn with a dozen little ornaments that threw shadows across the room. 

Under the tiny tree was a plain box wrapped in a ribbon. 

“What the fuck?” he muttered. 

“Was starting to wonder if you were being held hostage.” Cloud slid out of the kitchen with a faint smile. He was swaddled in a black sweater to protect him from the cold and it was as about as festive as Cloud got. 

“What are you doing here?” Leon asked, feeling his face sting and his heart thud a little harder. Cloud had that effect on him. 

Cloud shrugged, looking sheepish. “You said you didn’t have plans. Didn’t have many Christmas expectations. Figured i’d make a few plans for you.” 

“You brought a tree…” 

“It’s tiny and not real.” Cloud breathed out a laugh, seeming to enjoy Leon’s shock. 

Leon just gestured to it. “It’s got little lights on it.” 

“That’s is a pretty common tradition.” 

“There’s a present…” 

“Well, i like you.” 

Leon tore his eyes off the tree and looked at Cloud. “I got you something. Didn’t wrap it though.” Was he this bad at christmas? It had never mattered before. Could he not wrap a damn gift for the guy he liked?

“I don’t care about that.” Cloud muttered, finally stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Leon’s neck to pull him into a welcome kiss. “Welcome home. Merry Christmas Eve.” 

Leon thunked his forehead against Cloud’s. “Did you break in?” 

“Yes. You need better locks.”

He chuckled softly, feeling stupidly warm. How did Cloud do this to him? He was fine spending the night alone, but this suddenly seemed infinitely better. Spending time with Cloud was always better and the more he did it the more he liked it. 

“Thank you.” Leon muttered, the wariness from the day--from the last several days--drained away. He didn’t feel like he had to be so tense or agitated. He wasn’t worried about the guilt of not going home for the holiday. He _had_ someone to spend the evening with after all. 

Cloud cupped his face and kissed his cheek. “I know you haven’t had much reason for holiday spirit in the past. I’m not trying to change your mind about how you celebrate. I just thought this one could be nice if we spent it together.” 

“No, you’re right.” Leon agreed, feeling flustered. Cloud just kept doing this to him. “This is better. I just don’t know what else to say. You put in so much work for me and i wasn’t expecting it.” 

“You’ve had a long time to learn to never expect anything.” Cloud shrugged, pulling away to let Leon take his jacket and scarf off. “This is a new year for you. New home, new job, new christmas.” 

“What about you?” Leon smiled faintly, taking off his winter gear. 

“Did you have an old Cloud?” 

Leon snorted. “Stupid. I guess i was thinking along the lines of a new relationship but no, there was never an old Cloud. Can’t really be duplicated, can you?” 

“Careful, Leonhart.” Cloud went a touch pink. “That was almost romantic.” 

“No.” Leon agreed with a laugh, carrying his things to his room to probably drop into a corner instead of hanging them up neatly. He looked through his dresser, pulling out the brown paper bag he’d been hiding for over a week. It wasn’t wrapped up fancy, hell, wrapping it had never crossed his mind but it was covered and that was good enough. 

He went back out into the living room, Cloud out of sight again which meant he was in the kitchen since there was really no where else he could be. He put the bag under the tree next to the box Cloud had sitting there and resisted the urge he’d never had before to sneak a peek. 

“What smells so good?” he asked, nearly moaning when he walked into the kitchen a second later. He was caught between the extra heat of the oven being used and the yummy smells that reminded him he hadn’t really eaten all day. 

“Roasted chicken.” Cloud said, pulling it out of the oven. “I have garlic shrimp, mashed potatoes, carrots and parsnips, rolls.” He paused. “Aerith gave me a cherry pie.” 

Leon looked around his tiny kitchen where everything was sitting out, still steaming hot and felt his stomach do a flip. From hunger or butterflies was anyone’s guess. “I get the feeling that i’m going to propose to you over dinner at some point in our lives. You really made all this?” 

Cloud laughed instantly, heading to the fridge to pull out two bottles of beer. “Cooking is not as hard as you make it out to be. It wasn’t any trouble.” 

Leon swallowed. “It was a lot of trouble.” Cloud had made him dinner before, several times in fact but nothing like this. Nothing that resembled a christmas dinner in the movies or magazines. “Thank you, Cloud.” 

Cloud set the beers on the table and slid up to Leon’s side to steal another kiss. “It’s a brand new christmas.” he promised quietly. “I’m just glad you don’t mind sharing it me me.” 

Leon felt sappy. “I want to spend them all with you.” The comment seemed to make Cloud glow, but it triggered another thought for Leon. “Oh, shit. Shouldn’t you be with Denzel?” 

“Nah.” Cloud shook his head. “We never did much on christmas eve. Well, i did all the Santa stuff for him growing up but it was mostly just hype while Cid and Vincent did everything. They always tried to make Christmas special for us and i always loved that about them. I’ll see them all tomorrow. We’ll celebrate on the airship. No one will miss me tonight.” 

Leon sagged slightly in relief. “Good. I didn’t want to actually mess up your own traditions.” 

“Nothing to mess up.” Cloud agreed, passing Leon a plate. “Dig in.” 

Leon seriously didn’t need to be told twice. He wanted to eat everything and didn’t even know where to start. 

“You know,” Cloud started, handing Leon a fork. “I’d like it if you came too. To spend Christmas with us.” 

“I-,” Leon fidgeted. What the hell was he even? A fourteen year old girl? “Are you sure? Isn’t that just for you four?” 

Cloud shrugged. “It’s for family. I’ve been seeing you for months. They like you. It would be fine to bring you.” 

Leon felt like he was floating and he hadn’t even sipped his beer yet. “Yeah. Okay.” A real Christmas. A real one that didn’t feel forced. “I’d like that.” 

Cloud beamed, grabbing his plate and nudging Leon’s shoulder to do the same. “C’mon Lion. I’m going to find the most christmasy thing on TV i can find and you’re going to love it. Probably anyway.” 

“Fine.” Leon grabbed his plate of food and beer and followed Cloud back to the couch. He was loving something alright...

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Another fic was written for this series! I'm so excited! It's really good and has already created way more ideas. It'll give you a little sneak peak of Xion!  
> I hope you like it!!
> 
> Hope: Written by Jokul_Nightfury_Frost 
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/21743335
> 
> Series Master List
> 
> Out of Order  
> A Winning Distraction (in the middle of Out of Order)  
> Quiet Midnight (in the middle of Out of Order)  
> Radiant Christmas (in the middle of Out of Order)  
> First Dance  
> Until Monday  
> Repeat  
> Not enough treats  
> Wager  
> Calling Home (technically just before and just after Wager)  
> Renewals  
> Date Night  
> Sick Lions  
> Bad Memories  
> Not Perfect (could really fit in a few places, here is fine)  
> Patience  
> Long Weekends  
> Fever  
> Melee  
> Time will Tell  
> Rumble  
> Fortitude  
> A Day for Two  
> Summer Sun  
> Homemade  
> Moving on  
> Probably Haunted  
> The Night Before: by Kutikue  
> It’s only two more  
> Safeguard  
> Finding Sleep  
> Wishes  
> Professional Aid  
> Hope: by Jokul_Nightfury_Frost


End file.
